For any independent to survive, they need to have games when other conferences are playing conference games. With the Big Ten moving to a 9 game conference schedule and more conferences to follow, there will be less of a chance for those non-independents to schedule someone non-conference in October and November. I would hope for Idaho's, NMSU's, and UMass's sake that they don't find themselves in a situation that makes them independents. Notre Dame and BYU at least have more rivalries and desirability that makes them more attractive to play late-season unlike the others.